Is it okay to feed your pets from the table?

We all love pets, and Sunday was National Pet Parent Day, so we're talking about the do's and don'ts of pet parenting. Joining hosts Tati Amare and Kim DeGiulio to discuss it are Mimi Brown, a local author and motivational speaker, Kim Trent, a writer, and Wayne State Regent, and Blaine Fowler, the host of "The Blaine Fowler Morning Show" on 96.3 WDVD.

So first up: Is it okay to feed your pet scraps from the table? This question had our panelists divided. Fowler said that while he knows you are not supposed to do it, he did it when he was growing up saying, "everybody does it." Brown, on the other hand, had no qualms about feeding pets from the table saying "they deserve a treat." She specified you can't be feeding them the entire time though. Tati said she would have researched what kind of food they could eat and keep them on a strict diet of only good foods for them. 

What about the furniture? Is it okay for pets to jump up on the furniture or counters? Fowler said this is the reason he does not have a dog. Brown said she has a no-cats-on-the-counter policy and even has a machine that sprays them with air if they jump up. However, she does mention that for the rest of the furniture the cats have free reign to because cats do what they want. "Dogs have owners, cats have staff," she pointed out. Trent is completely against it and says that is why she does not have pets. 

Next up: What about taking your pet with you to places like a friend's house or a family member's house or on vacation? "Cats don't travel well," said Brown, also mentioning that she keeps her pets at home.  What about people bringing pets to your house? Fowler said he needs a heads up before you bring them over. Trent was really against it, saying it was only okay with permission. 

They then brought in Michelle Oliver who had viewer responses to the first question; is it okay to feed your pets from the table? Just like our panelists, the viewers were divided. 

What's the Buzz airs every Monday on Live in the D. If you want to be a part of the conversation, look for the topic posted on the Live in the D Facebook Page every Sunday afternoon.